As we kick off 2018, I wanted to take a glance back at 2017. 260 books read — I exceeded my goal (nothing like exceeding an arbitrary number to boost the ol’ ego), 395 posts (short of my goal by a couple hundred, and worse — almost 50 fewer than 2015!). I had some strong gains in traffic — views and visitors — and I’m also seeing good growth in followers here and on various social media fronts, which is encouraging as all get out.
So here’s my breakdown of books by genre, like the one I did last year. Genre labeling is more difficult this year, I read a lot of hybrids, but I tend to go with the overarching genre (for example, Artemis is a SF and Crime hybrid, I went with SF). Mystery/Suspense/Thriller is back to where it should be. SF and Fantasy took the hit to make up for that. it’s been forever since I’ve read a Western, I guess (at least one that wasn’t a hybrid with Urban Fantasy or SF or something). Theological books went down in actual numbers, not just percent — but I read some big, technical stuff this year that took a lot more time/energy to read, so I’m not too bothered by that. Still, for someone who doesn’t plan too thoroughly, the percentages stay remarkably the same from year to year — tastes (and series I follow) apparently stay the same.
Genre | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Children’s | 7 (3%) | 5 (2%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
Fantasy | 7 (3%) | 31 (13%) | 17 (9%) | 11 (7%) | 15 (8%) | 12 (6%) |
General Fiction/ Literature |
29 (10%) | 27 (11%) | 17 (9%) | 7 (4%) | 30 (16%) | 30 (14%) |
Horror | 0 (0%) | 1 (.4%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
Humor | 1 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (1%) | 3 (2%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller |
102 (37%) | 61 (25%) | 64 (34%) | 62 (37%) | 63 (33%) | 73 (35%) |
Non-Fiction | 10 (4%) | 11 (5%) | 8 (4%) | 4 (2%) | 2 (1%) | 11 (5%) |
Science Fiction | 27 (10%) | 37 (15%) | 16 (8%) | 17 (10%) | 14 (7%) | 11 (5%) |
Steampunk | 1 (0%) | 2 (1%) | 7 (4%) | 3 (2%) | 3 (2%) | 11 (5%) |
Theology/ Christian Living |
30 (11%) | 33 (14%) | 42 (22%) | 42 (25%) | 37 (19%) | 10 (5%) |
Urban Fantasy | 45 (16%) | 36 (15%) | 19 (10%) | 20 (12%) | 26 (14%) | 48 (23%) |
Western | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (0%) |
- Enough about me. I want to talk about you, who keep me going and show an interest in what I’m doing here and give some thanks to people for their impact on The Irresponsible Reader (the blog and the person) in 2017:
- Thanks to everyone for your comments/feedback — texts, emails, comments here/BookLikes/Goodreads, tweets, FB comments, even the occasional Face-to-Face conversation. Keep it up! I really appreciate the time you took to leave feedback. Hopefully you can tell that you’ve shaped the conversation here — it has, I assure you.
- Flattered thanks to (in no particular order): vihasi shah, ravencrimereads , JL’s Bibliomania, littlemissnosleep, charmingkitties, hubblegal, bettybookreviews, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BOOK BLOG, tripleblacktri, SnoopyDoo, discobarbizar, iosappdevelopmentcompanyinbangaloreblog, dawgietime, ellabyrde, QuietBlogster, amandanicolette, pandaduh, GEORGE SORIN VENETE, The Sound of One Man Laughing, catskittiesandmore, saisuresh007, perfectbingosites.co.uk, alexankarr1, mysteryauthorjamesrnelson, Abinotronix, martyn james, Jeyran Main, J. A. Allen, passmethatbook, Tannat, roamingwanderlusts, nzfnmblog and writerlady, Adam Harkus (a blog my two young guitarists will love), Christy Luis, kirilson, Let’s Read Something New, publishquest2017, Genre Book Reviews, gencyazarlarklubu, Reading is My Escapte, Portable Magic, Mollie Player, netbij, Scarlett Brodie, Maria Bardyukova, bloggerfingers, MladenR, Anushka, annebonnybookreviews, thehuntandpeckblog, Richard Klu, The Cable Denning Fan Club, Mr and Mrs NW, abokrose, LizScanlon, theartdive, M.L.S.Weech, Simple Ula, Skulls and Coffee, BellaDonna, vickibrock44, Rizky FAUZI, whatsnonfiction, Reasons To Resist, nishlovepink, foodlove16, Scarletpiper, georgederringer, youngadultallegiance, The Lyrictrotter, shellinoutreviews, Nici Copywriter, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Mrinalini Raj, Shelfleigh, Shaun Hume, dreamnoiseblog, Alice @ Arctic Books, thrillersuspense, texaslawstudent, Lauren, Author Maremma Gee, Person of Interest, Brusque and The Hunt and Peck Blog for being new followers (at least for a post or two) of the blog (in one of its forms) this year — the size of this list shocks me, and I hope you all got at least something out of it. (I sincerely hope I didn’t miss anyone)
- Hearty thanks to (in no particular order): Rosaria Butterfield, R. David Cox, Miles V. Van Pelt, D. I. Jolly, Alex Wells, Matthew Barrett, Jim Butcher, Kerrie L. Hughes, Carrie Vaughn, Patricia Murphy, Brad Parks, Sam Lawrence & Ben Jackson, Danko Herrera, Taylor Stevens, Hillary Huber, Andy Martin, Zoe Kalo, Gibson Michaels, Ian Rankin, Sinclair B. Ferguson, Jennifer Weiner, John Bowen, J. B. Rockwell, K. S. Villoso, Aimee Byrd, Luca Veste, Paul Goldstein, Max Elliot Anderson, Brandon D. Crowe, Sarah Pinborough, Duncan MacMaster, Marissa Meyer, Douglas Holgate, Danielle Rogland, Faith Hunter, Lloyd Alexander, James Langton, Bryan Lee O’Malley, Leslie Hung, Derek Landy, Rupert Degas, Lee Child, Dick Hill, Shawn Hartje, Ace Atkins, Seanan McGuire, J. Gresham Machen, Alan Bradley, Jayne Entwistle, Christopher Hansen, J.R. Fehr, Loren D. Estleman, Owen Laukkanen, Reformed Forum, John Scalzi, Samuel G. Sterling, Danielle Pollock, Joshua Torrey, W. Robert Godfrey, Carolyn Arnold, Steph Broadribb, Sarah Kuhn, Dave Barry, Patrick Frederic, Benedict Jacka, D.J. Bodden, Mindy Kaling, Geehardus Vos, Sam Allberry, Graeme Simsion, Josh Bazell, Robert Petkoff, Rob Shackleford, Chrys Cymri, Jason Miller, Stephen Oram, Steve Cavanagh, David Baldacci, Scott Brick, Doree Shafrir, Paul Cornell, O. Palmer Robertson, Paul W. Cohen, Rick Riordan, Kieran Culkin, Robbie DaymondRobbie Daymond, Steve Hamilton, Spencer Quinn, Jason Parent, Amber Benson,E.J. Copperman, Jeff Cohen, Zoë Sharp, Alex Bledsoe, Patrick Ness, Ash Gray, Craig Johnson, George Guidall, Cory Barclay, Stephen Wellum, Stephan Pastis, Jared Goldsmith, Emily Ruben, Ryan McGraw, Michael J. Kruger, J. Ligon Duncan, Russ Colchamiro, George Bachman, Stephen Clark, Mark Jones, Don Winslow, Patricia Briggs, Lorelei King, Holter Graham, Gabe Hudson, Reed Farrel Coleman, Jacqueline Chadwick, Robert Germaux, Bradley Horner, B.C.R. Fegan, Lenny Wen, Chris Grabenstein, Jeff Woodman, Michael Connelly, Nathaniel Barber, Rachel Isgar, Ph.D., Cornelis P. Venema, Ben Sasse, Angie Thomas, Bahni Turpin, Chrissy Lessey, M. T. Miller, Shaun Hume, Jo Perry, Layton Green, Jason Reynolds, Guy Lockard, Alex BehrAlex Behr, Hart Hanson, Ari Fliakos, Joseph Brassey, Amy Stewart, Adam Sternberg, David Rosenfelt, Grover Gardner, Josef Matulich, Matt Cowper, C. J. Williams, Lucy Treloar, Kristin I. Morris, Joseph J. Zielinski, Ph.D., L.G. Metcalf, O.Hallesby, Leigh Bardugo, Mozhan Marno, Michael RN Jones, John Calvin, Joe Ide, Mindy M. Shelton, Tia Sorenson, Daniel Falatko, Robin Sloan, Rich Leder, Brian Cosby, Michael Allen, Scott R. Swain, Alan Jacobs, David Yair, ilana Graf, Natalie Jackson, Krysten Ritter, Carl R. Trueman, Katrina Shawver, S. J. Rozan, James E. Dolezal, Jonathan Fesmire, Dan Sofer, Edgar Cantero, Kyla Garcia, Doogie Horner, JJ Harrison, Sue Grafton, Joe Zieja, Tehila Sade Moyal, Fatima Pires, Hugh Martin, K. J. Howe, Peter Clines, Alejandro de Gutierre, S.C. Flynn, Alan Sepinwall, Andy Weir, Susan E. Davis, PT, Howard L. Hibbard, Robert Crais MacLeod Andrews, Robert Kolb, Harry Bingham, Siriol Jenkins, Kevin Hearne, Luke Daniels, Shane Kuhn, Pete Simonelli, Joel Beeke, Heather L. Beal, Jubayda Sager, Isaac Alexis, MD, Max McBride, Janet Evanovich, Peter May, Harry Connolly, Max Wirestone, Ned Vizzini, Robert Fass, John Murray, Ben Aaronovitch, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Andrew Cartmel, Lee Sullivan, Luis Guerrero, David Z. Hirsch, Robert B. Parker, Michael Prichard, Neil Gaiman, Maria Bardyukova, Quiet Riley, Jr., Rik Hoskin, and (last but certainly not least) Tom Garcia this blog would be nothing without your efforts, your blood, sweat, tears, fears, work, love, dreams, hopes, and words. Your books were my companions throughout this year, and I can’t thank you enough for them (and I hope I get to spend time with many of you again soon!).
- More thanks to all those who requested that I read and talk about your (or your clients’) books. I know how much the work, effort, heart, and everything that went into your books. It’s super humbling, I know you all didn’t like what I said, but, I am grateful for the opportunity. Sorry, I didn’t list you all by name this year, my records got a little confusing.
- Many thanks to Faith Hunter, Nathaniel Barber, B.C.R. Fegan, Russ Colchamiro, Duncan MacMaster, Ben Jackson, and D.I. Jolly for taking time out of your busy schedules to answer a few quick questions with me this year!
- Thanks to Alex Behr who sent me a very attractive looking signed paperback copy of Planet Grim a couple of weeks ago, and I keep forgetting to send a thank you to. So, while I’m hitting everyone else up here…
- A shout-out to my wife (inside joke). Seriously, dear, without your support, indulgence and patience this thing wouldn’t exist — and I’d read a lot less (the horror!). Thank you. I love you.
- And thank you all for reading. Seriously, each time I get a notification of a like, or a share, or a follow, etc. it makes my day. To know that someone took a couple of seconds or more out of their day to glance at this? It means the world to me. Thanks.
Have a great 2018, hope you find plenty of good things to read!
Bookstooge
260! Now that’s a nice number. And I know some of the books you read make that number even more amazing.